Humboldt's Braden Fleischhacker achieved something that few have the opportunity to do.

The Grade 9 student at Humboldt Collegiate Institute earned a gold medal in curling after he and Team Saskatchewan won the Optimist Under-18 International Championship in Edmonton.

Held from March 31 to April 3, the team ran the table, winning all seven games played, including five round robin contests.

Teams from across Canada, as well as the United States, and one team from Japan were at the tournament.

Fleischhacker says it was a great experience being able to compete on a large stage.

"It was a whole new level that we've never been able to curl against before," he said. "Curling against other teams from different countries and how they take the game. Their language is incredible to listen to while you're out there. It's a little nerve-racking, because you don't know what they're saying. They enjoy coming up here and we enjoy having them."

The team defeated Quebec 7-6 in an extra end to claim the championship.

Based out of the Wadena Curling Club, the foursome was led by skip Mitchell Dales, along with third Dustin Mikush and second Mitchell Schmidt. Fleischhacker played lead.

It was his connection to Mikush that led him to joining the team this season.

"At a younger age, about 10, I curled with (Mikush) in the Humboldt Youth League," explained Fleischhacker. "They were looking for an extra player this season in tournaments. He asked me, and I said 'sure'."

In order to qualify to represent Saskatchewan, some guards had to be cleared, including a case of good timing.

First, the foursome had to earn their way to provincials through winning the Wadena district.

At provincials, they got off to a slower start, dropping their first game, before having a big bounce back, and some fortune.

"We made it to the C-final, which means we had to beat the team three times. Unfortunately we didn't get to do that, but they had prior commitments, the team was gone to Europe," Fleischhacker noted. "We were very lucky and fortunate to go and take Saskatchewan's place in Edmonton."

The win gave Saskatchewan its first Men's championship at the tournament since 2004, when Brennen Jones' Weyburn rink claimed the title in BC. 

Fleischhacker says that he has had plenty of support and congratulatory messages since returning from Edmonton, and credited his start in the game to his family, who have been heavily involved with the sport.

"It started young because my whole family curls, and I was here quite often - atleast once a week," he said. "I watch the game a lot at home with my family on TV, and watching them curl. My brother went through similar processes and I watched him go to all these events and learned from that."

Prior to competing in the U18 tournament, the Dales rink had the opportunity to curl against Russia's Anna Sidorova who was preparing for the Women's World Curling Championship in Swift Current. Russia took the exhibition game, but only by a 3-2 margin.

You can hear more from Fleischhacker below in his interview with Bolt FM's Clark Stork.